Confessions

Note: This confession is a little overdue. I’ve been ill for the last three days, so I haven’t had time to bare my soul. Perhaps it was retribution for what I am about to confess.

I pledged 365 of no ready to wear. I made it to July. Sigh. But before you judge, let me explain myself – I have a very good reason.

I went on vacation recently and all of my beer drinking, wine drinking and bourbon drinking caused me to put on a few lbs. All the food I ate didn’t help either! Needless to say, my clothing is a little tighter than normal. Plus, I haven’t taken dry cleaning in for ages, so options are also limited. I know this sounds like an excuse, but hear me out!

I got dressed one morning. I put on a pair of trousers. A nice blouse. A belt. Kitten heels. I looked good. But, I didn’t feel good. My pants were too tight and my muffin top oozed over my belt like a too tight sausage casing. Yup. One of those days.

I suffered through the ride to work, three meetings and some random office gossip before I decided that I just couldn’t take it any more. I argued in my head, “You can make four hours to the end of the day. Suck it up.” But folks, I just couldn’t suck it in any longer. I ran up the street to Target, bought a simple skirt, and drove back to work. And I felt much more comfortable.

And that, my friends, is how my no RTW pledge was broken. Pitiful.

In an effort to redeem myself however, I did make a new shirt last weekend. This is BurdaStyle magazine 9/2011 #128. I was a little doubtful about this shirt – but the unusual pleats at the shoulder drew me in. I also found this fabric and was immediately in love. My husband told me while sewing it up that I just need to add a rod and I’d be a pretty curtain in an old lady’s house. I told him, “Wait and see, wait and see.”

When I came down dressed in the morning for work, my hubby said, “Yeah, that is nice.” Ha! I was vindicated!

A peak at the inside. I serged the side seams and bias bound the arm hole facings.

And a close up of the pleat:

My nail polish even matched (ironically, Essie’s Sew Psyched)!

The only modification I made was to shorten it by 3 inches and completely ignore the collar construction instructions (cause they sucked).

I like this shirt – a departure from my normal look, but I think it works in my wardrobe. (Though, I probably could have sucked that gut in a little, haha!)

Well, now that I am feeling better today – I am going to sew my little heart out. I made a slouchy sweater for my oldest this morning and it was a huge hit! More to come on that one!